Take-off regulator

ABSTRACT

The regulator is combined with a shaft which is rotatable in steps to take off a cloth and warp in a weaving machine and serves to control the extent of each of said steps. The regulator comprises a stepping disc which has opposite end faces and is mounted for rotation on an axis and operatively connected to said shaft, a stepping lever which is pivoted on said axis, a linkage and connecting means operatively connecting said linkage to said lever and infinitely adjustable in a radial direction relative to said axis. The linkage is operable to impart pivotal movements to said lever in mutually opposite sense. The regulator also comprises first and second clamping jaw means which are operable in alternation to engage said end faces of said disc like pliers. The first clamping jaw means are carried by said lever and operable to couple said lever to said disc during the pivotal movement of said lever in one sense. The second clamping jaw means are mounted in a stationary position and operable to hold said disc against rotation during the pivotal movement of said lever in the opposite sense.

United States Patent 1 1 Filter et al.

[ Dec. 30, 1975 1 1 TAKE-OFF REGULATOR [75] Inventors: Walther Filter,Langenhagen; Claus Filter, Rethem, Aller, both of Germany [73]Assignees: Vereinigte Osterreichische Eisen-und Stahlwerke-Alpine MontanAktiengesellschaft, Vienna, Austria; Etablissement Wanderfield & C0.,Schaan, Liechtenstein [22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1974 [21] Appl. No.1 436,456

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 8, 1973 Austria 1150/73 [52]U.S. Cl. 139/99; 139/100; 139/109; 139/304; 242/7553 [51] Int. Cl. D03D49/06; DO3D 49/20 [58] Field of Search 139/99, 97, 105, 109, 100,139/110, 304, 307, 308, 309, 107,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,400,525 5/1946 Amidon139/108 X 3,470,921 lO/l969 Booth 139/109 3,503,427 3/1970 Booth 139/1003,804,348 4/1974 Ruscher et al 242/7553 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS817,426 lO/l95l Germany 139/304 826,579 l/l952 Germany 139/304 53,5407/1967 Poland 139/100 1,013,629 12/1965 United Kingdom.... 139/309742,274 11/1943 Germany 66/86 A Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Kurt Kelman [57] ABSTRACT The regulator is combined witha shaft which is rotatable in steps to take off a cloth and warp in aweaving machine and serves to control the extent of each of said steps.The regulator comprises a stepping disc which has opposite end faces andis mounted for rotation on an axis and operatively connected to saidshaft, a stepping lever which is pivoted on said axis, a linkage andconnecting means operatively connecting said linkage to said lever andinfinitely adjustable in a radial direction relative to said axis. Thelinkage is operable to impart pivotal movements to said. lever inmutually opposite sense. The regulator also comprises first and secondclamping jaw means which are operable in alternation to engage said endfaces of said disc like pliers. The first clamping jaw means are carriedby said lever and operable to couple said lever to said disc during thepivotal movement of said lever in one sense. The second clamping jawmeans are mounted in a stationary position and operable to hold saiddisc against rotation during the pivotal movement of said lever in theopposite sense.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures HYDRAULIC CONTROLS US. Patent Dec. 30, 19753,929,168

HYDRAULIC CONTROLS 1 HYDRAULIC CONTROLS TAKE-OFF REGULATOR Thisinvention relates to a regulator for controlling the taking-off of thecloth and warp in a weaving machine, comprising a stepping disc, whichis operatively connected to the shaft to be driven, a stepping lever,which by means of a linkage is angularly movable forwardly andrearwardly about the axis of rotation of the stepping disc and whichcarries coupling means for engaging the stepping disc, and a retainingdevice for holding the stepping disc in position during the rearwardmovement of the stepping disc, wherein the point of engagement betweenthe linkage and the stepping lever is adjustable in a raidal directionrelative to the axis of rotation.

Regulators for controlling the taking off of the cloth or warp usuallyconsist of ratchet mechanism and comprise a stepping disc havingsmall-pitch teeth. The stepping lever carries a plurality of steppingpawls, which are spaced apart in the peripheral direction of thestepping disc and one of which engages the teeth of the stepping discfor each step so that the angle through which the shaft is rotated uponeach advance of the stepping lever can be controlled in smallerincrements. Corresponding locking pawls are provided to retain thestepping disc in position during the rearward movement of the steppinglever. That arrangement has the disadvantage that it does not permit ofan infinite adjustment nor an adjustment during operation so that theweaver cannot influence the appearance of the cloth by an adjustment ofthe regulator during operation.

To enable an infinite adjustment of the angle of the rotation performedby the stepping disc during an angular movement of the stepping levermounted on the axis of rotation of the stepping disc, it has alreadybeen proposed to provide for a radial adjustment of the point ofengagement between the stepping lever and the linkage for actuating thesame so that with a given stroke of the linkage the extent of theangular movement of the stepping lever will depend on the distancebetween the axis of rotation and the point of engagement between thestepping lever and the linkage. A clamping ratchet mechanism is providedbetween the stepping disc and the stepping lever and during the forwardmovement of said lever couples the latter to the stepping disc for jointrotation whereas the ratchet mechanism permits of a free rearwardmovement of the stepping lever. During this rearward movement, thestepping disc is held in a fixed position relative to the machine frameby a second clamping ratchet mechanism, which acts oppositely to thefirst. That known arrangement is relatively complicated in structure andhas the further disadvantage that it does not permit of an exact controlof the time at which the clamping ratchet mechanism connects the partsfor joint rotation. Whereas a relative movement between the steppingdisc and the stepping lever or between the stepping disc and theretaining device is essentially required to enable an action of theclamping ratchet mechanism, that relative movement results in theundesired inaccuracy and prevents exact, perfectly identical steps ofthe stepping disc. Besides, the direction in which the stepping disc isdriven cannot be reversed because the clamping ratchet mechanisms canact only in one direction. Furthermore, the point of engagement betweenthe stepping lever and the linkage for actuating the same is radiallyadjusted by a radial screw, which can 2 be rotated by means of ahandwheel in order to adjust the point of engagement. Because thehandwheel and the screw rotate in unison with the stepping lever, theextent of the angular movement of the stepping disc cannot be adjustedwhen the machine is in operation.

It is an object of the invention so to improve a regulator of the kinddescribed first hereinbefore that exact steps which have always the sameextent can be ensured by simple means and that an infinite adjustment isenabled even during the operation of the machine.

This object is accomplished according to the invention in that thecoupling means and the retaining device consist of preferably identicalclamping jaws, which act like pliers against the end faces of thestepping disc, the clamping jaws are operable in alternation and thepoint of engagement between the stepping lever and the linkage isadjustable during operation, e.g., by means of a flexible shaft or aBowden cable. Contrary to the known regulators, the coupling members andretaining device do not consist of clamping ratchet meachanisms but ofclamping jaws, which act like pliers on the end faces of the steppingdisc so that exact steps having always the same extent can be producedbecause the stepping lever does not move until the clamping jaws gripthe stepping disc between. them. For this reason the stepping disc canbe at a standstill relative to the stepping lever or retaining deviceduring the operation of the clamping jaws; this is not possible whereclamping ratchet mechanisms are used.

The regulator according to the invention is not intended normally toproduce the desired warp tension between the cloth beam and the warpbeam but it is desired to produce said tension between two controlbeams, which are driven by the regulator and are respectively associatedwith the cloth beam and the warp beam. This has the advantage that thewarp tension is controlled only by a friction clutch, which isincorporated in the means for driving one of the control beams. Inmachines in which the warp is tensioned in that the cloth is taken offagainst the force of a warp beam brake, a much stronger force isrequired to drive the regulator in this case so that the accuracy of theindividual steps and the warp tension are adveresly affected. On theother hand, if the regulator is used to drive control beamssimultaneously and uniformly, very small stepping forces will besufficient and by means of the regulator according to the inventionenable a very accurate control of steps which have been adjusted. Forthis reason the point of engagement between the linkage and the steppinglever may be dis placed during operation by means of a flexible shaft ora Bowden cable. This is impossible if relatively strong forces are to betransmitted, as is required where known regulators are used.

The regulator according to the invention permits also of a reversal ofthe sense of rotation of the shaft to be driven because it is sufficientfor this purpose to interchange the timing of the operation of theclamping jaws. In connection with warp beam brakes it is known toprovide brake shoes which act like pliers on a stepping disc. Thesebrake shoes must permit the disc to slip between them because theoperation of the warp beam brake could not be ensured otherwise.Contrary to this, the clamping jaws according to the invention mustfirmly grip the disc because a slipping of the disc would adverselyaffect the accuracy of the steps.

In a development of the invention, the clampingjaws which constitute thecoupling members and the retain- 3 ing device consist of clampingpistons, which are operable in dependence on the position of a hydraulicactuator, which is included in the linkage. Compared to the use of arotary crank or the like, the use of a doubleacting hydraulic cylinderfor driving the linkage affords the advantage that the times whenpressure is applied can be selected so as to ensure that the clampingjaws will be operated when the stepping disc and the stepping lever areat a standstill. For a coarse adjustment of the steps, the stroke of thepiston of the hydraulic actuator may be varied. The fine adjustment ofthe steps is then enabled by the flexible shaft or a Bowden cable.

An embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically and by way ofexample on the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a sectional viewshowing a regulator,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the regulator and FIG. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken on line IIIII1 of FIG. 1.

A stepping disc 2 is non-rotatably fixed to a shaft 1, which serves todrive a non-illustrated control beam, which is associated with the clothtake-off 20. The shaft 1 may be additionally used to drive a controllet-off 21 which is associated with the warp beam. A stepping oroperating lever 4 is mounted on the hub 3 of the stepping disc 2 and canbe pivotally moved forwardly and rearwardly by means of a linkage 5connected to the piston 6 in cylinder 6. Two axially aligned pistons 8are mounted in cylinder cavities 14 provided in a crossmember 7 of thestepping lever 4 and act as clamping jaws on the opposite radial facesof the stepping disc 2 and are operable by hydraulic pressure appliedthrough a conduit 15. It will be understood that the clamping jaws maybe pneumatically or electromagnetically operated when this is desired. Astationary support 9 carries two similar clamping pistons 10 in cylindercavities 16. Pressure is applied to the clamping pistons 8 and 10 inalternation by a hydraulic control mechanism 17 when the lever 4 is at astandstill between forward and rearward movements, the mechanism 17being linked to the actuator 6. Hydraulic pressure is applied to theclamping pistons 8 and the latter couple the disc 2 to the steppinglever 4 as the lever performs a forward pivotal movement. Hydraulicpressure is applied to the clamping pistons 10 for preventing angularmovement of the disc 2 during the rearward pivotal movement of thestepping lever whereas the clamping pistons 8 slightly disengage thedisc at this time.

The linkage 5 engages a slider 11, which is slidable in the steppinglever 4 in a radial direction relative to the shaft 1. The slider isthreaded on a screw 12, which is rotatably and axially immovably mountedin a crossyoke 13 of the stepping lever. By means of a flexible shaft 18indicated with dash-dot lines, the screw can be rotated from a remoteposition even during the operation of the machine so that the point ofengagement of the linkage or hydraulic cylinder 6 is changed and with itthe extent of the angular movement of the stepping lever 4 and of therotational movement of the stepping disc 2 and or the shaft 1 for agiven actuator stroke. Instead of the spindle 12, a Bowden cable mayengage the displaceable slider 11, which in that case is also displacedin a radial direction by an operation of the Bowden cable.

For the sake of simplicity, the drawing shows an embodiment in which theflexible shaft 18 engages the screw 12 on the outside. As thisarrangement may involve high alternating stresses, it will often be moredesirable to connect the flexible shaft or the Bowden cable adjacent tothe pivotal axis of the stepping lever.

To reverse the sense of rotation it is sufficient to interchange thetiming of the operation of the pistons 8 and 10 so that the disc iscarried around by the stepping lever during its return movement and isretained during the forward movement of the stepping lever. In this casethe steps may be performed with the same accuracy.

What is claimed is:

1. A weaving machine comprising:

a. a shaft having an axis and mounted for angular movement about saidaxis;

b. a cloth take-up mechanism and a warp let-off mechanism, one of saidmechanisms being drivingly connected to said shaft for control of saidone mechanism by said shaft;

0. a disc member secured to said shaft for joint angular movement aboutsaid axis and having two radial faces;

d. an operating member mounted for pivoting movement about said axisrelative to said disc member;

e. actuating means for alternatively pivoting said operating memberforward and backward about said axis;

f. first clamping jaw means mounted on said operating member andengageable with said radial faces for coupling said disc member to saidoperating member for joint angular movement;

g. second clamping jaw means engageable with said radial faces forpreventing angular movement of said disc member; and

h. control means for alternatively operating said first and second jawmeans during standstill of said operating member between forward andbackward pivoting movements of the operating member and for therebyrotating said shaft in steps.

2. A weaving machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first andsecond clamping jaw means each include two clamping members, and saidcontrol means include means for moving said clamping members axiallyinto clamping engagement with said two radial faces respectively.

3. A weaving machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the clampingmembers of each of said clamping jaw means are axially aligned.

4. A weaving machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising anengaging member mounted on said operating member, and adjusting meansfor radially moving said engaging member toward and away from said axis,said actuating means including a linkage drivingly connected-to saidengaging member.

1. A weaving machine comprising: a. a shaft having an axis and mountedfor angular movement about said axis; b. a cloth take-up mechanism and awarp let-off mechanism, one of said mechanisms being drivingly connectedto said shaft for control of said one mechanism by said shaft; c. a discmember secured to said shaft for joint angular movement about said axisand having two radial faces; d. an operating member mounted for pivotingmovement about said axis relative to said disc member; e. actuatingmeans for alternatively pivoting said operating member forward andbackward about said axis; f. first clamping jaw means mounted on saidoperating member and engageable with said radial faces for coupling saiddisc member to said operating member for joint angular movement; g.second clamping jaw means engageable with said radial faces forpreventing angular movement of said disc member; and h. control meansfor alternatively operating said first and second jaw means duringstandstill of said operating member between forward and backwardpivoting movements of the operating member and for thereby rotating saidshaft in steps.
 2. A weaving machine as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid first and second clamping jaw means each include two clampingmembers, and said control means include means for moving said clampingmembers axially into clamping engagement with said two radial facesrespectively.
 3. A weaving machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein theclamping members of each of said clamping jaw means are axially aligned.4. A weaving machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising anengaging member mounted on said operating member, and adjusting meansfor radially moving said engaging member toward and away from said axis,said actuating means including a linkage drivingly connected to saidengaging member.